BEIJING, April 14 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. blockade is dangerous and irresponsible, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday, responding to a query that the U.S. military has begun blocking shipping traffic in and out of Iran's ports.

A view of the Gulf is pictured in Bushehr, Iran, April 29, 2024. Located on the coast of the Gulf, Bushehr is a major port city in southern Iran. (Photo: Xinhua)

China urges all parties to abide by the ceasefire arrangement, stay on course for dialogue and peace talks, and take practical actions to ease regional tensions and restore normal passage across the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible, Guo said at a regular news briefing.

Given that the parties concerned have already reached a temporary ceasefire arrangement, the United States' increased military deployments and targeted blockade actions will only heighten tensions, escalate the situation, undermine the already fragile ceasefire, and further jeopardize the safety of passage through this waterway, Guo added.

China believes that only a comprehensive ceasefire can ultimately create the conditions for de-escalating the situation in the strait, he said.